Spaying Females

Spaying offers several advantages.  The female's heat periods result in about 2-3 weeks of vaginal bleeding.  This can be quite annoying if your dog is kept indoors.  Male dogs are attracted from blocks away and, in fact, seem to come out of the woodwork.  They seem to go over, around, and through many doors or fences.  Your dog will have a heat period about every 6 months.
Spaying is the removal of the uterus and the ovaries.  Therefore, heat periods no longer occur.  In many cases, despite of your best effort, the female will become pregnant; spaying prevents unplanned litters of puppies. 
It has been proven that as the female dog gets older, there is a significant incidence of breast cancer and uterine infections if she has not been spayed.  Spaying before she has any heat periods will virtually eliminate the chance of either.  If you do not plan to breed your dog, we strongly recommend that she be spayed before her first heat period.  This can be done anytime after she is 6 months old. 

Neutering Males

Neutering offers several advantages.  Male dogs are attracted to a female dog in heat and will climb over or go through fences to find her.  Male dogs are more aggressive and more likely to fight, especially with other male dogs.  As dogs age, the prostate gland frequently enlarges and causes difficulty urinating and defecating.  Neutering will solve, or greatly help, all of these problems that come with owning a male dog.  The surgery can be performed any time after the dog is 6 months old.

Breeding

If you plan to breed your dog, she should have at least one or two heat periods first.  This will allow her to physically mature allowing her to be a better mother without such a physical drain on her.  We do not recommend breeding after 5 years of age unless she has been bred prior to that.  Having her first litter after 5 years of age increases the risk of problems during the pregnancy and/or delivery.  Once your dog has had her last litter, she should be spayed to prevent the reproductive problems older dogs have.